[00:00:06]
OF THE CITY COMMISSION TO ORDER AND BEGIN, AS IS OUR HABIT, WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
PLEASE JOIN US IN SAYING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ANY ITEM THAT'S ON THE AGENDA. SO IF YOU
[ROLL CALL]
CAN REFERENCE THE OH, I'M SORRY. LET'S DO ROLL CALL FIRST. CITY CLERK COMMISSIONER BELICHICK. I AM HERE, COMMISSIONER PERDUE. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER. ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER. ROBBINS.PRESENT. COMMISSIONER. KILGORE. MAYOR. LEGRANDE PRESENT. THAT BRINGS US TO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ANY ITEM THAT'S ON THE AGENDA. ONE MORE THING. ONE MORE THING, COMMISSIONER. OH, RIGHT. CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO EXCUSE COMMISSIONER? NIGHT. SO MOVED. I HEARD A MOVE OR TWO MOVES TO
[PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS]
SUPPORT. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. GREAT. AND THAT BRINGS US TO PUBLIC ITEMS. PARDON ME? ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. IF YOU COULD REFERENCE THOSE AND WRITE. AND THE INTERPRETER. SO IF THE INTERPRETER COULD COME UP AND EXPLAIN THEIR FUNCTION IN SPANISH, SINCE I WILL EXPLAIN IT IN ENGLISH AND WE HAVE AN ENGLISH TO SPANISH AND SPANISH. ENGLISH INTERPRETER FOR THOSE OF WHO NEED THOSE FUNCTIONS. SO IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT SPANISH. BUENAS TARDES. INTERPRETATION.ESPANOL INTERPRETATION EN ESPANOL DURANTE LA REUNION INGLĆS PARA HACER COMENTARIOS PUBLICOS. THANK YOU. AND MR. JONES, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MIGHT ALSO BE COMING UP, PLEASE TELL US WHERE YOU LIVE, AT LEAST BY WARD AND YOUR NAME BEFORE YOU BEGIN. BUT YOU.
EVERYONE HAS THREE MINUTES. HOW YOU DOING? I'M D JONES, I STAY IN THE ORCHARDS. I WAS FORCED OUT OF THE HOUSE. I STAYED IN ON TAMARACK. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE RESOLUTION, APPROVING CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENTS AND ACCEPTING PUBLIC UTILITIES EASEMENT FOR NORTH ROBIN. SO YOU GUYS HAVE SOME HANDOUTS BEFORE YOU. AS YOU GUYS KNOW, I'M A BIG, BIG ADVOCATE FOR DIGITAL ASSETS. AND I SEE THAT YOU GUYS ARE ACTUALLY APPROVING CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT FOR UTILITY. AND THE FUNNY THING IS, IS I ACTUALLY HELPED HELP SHAPE AND STRUCTURE THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL FINANCE. SO AS YOU GUYS KNOW, I'M A STREAMER ON THE DECENTRALIZED STREAMING PLATFORM CALLED PARTY, AND YOU HAVE ANOTHER HANDOUT. SO I'M ACTUALLY DEVELOPING A PARTNERSHIP WITH TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE. MY COUSIN HAS ACTUALLY CAME HERE WITH ME, AND HE'S BEEN HERE, THE YOUNG GUY WHO'S THE CAPTAIN OF THE NBA TWO K TEAM, HE'S ALSO STUDYING ENGINEERING AT TSU. AND SO AS YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENTS AND ACCEPTED PUBLIC UTILITIES, I ACTUALLY GOT TO THE CEO OF PARTY TO ADD 3D PRINTED CONSTRUCTION AS AN ACTUAL UTILITY FOR THIS PARTY TOKEN.
SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY EARN AND STREAM DIGITAL FINANCE FOR FREE, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY UTILIZE THESE DIGITAL FINANCES TO ACTUALLY FUND A 3D PRINTED CONSTRUCTION EMPIRE. AND SO I'M ALSO ON THE TAX AND REGULATIONS COMMITTEE FOR THE GRT CHAMBERS IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE. SO I AM GOING TO BE STICKING IT TO THE BILLIONAIRES AND EVERYBODY AT THE GRT CHAMBERS AND GETTING ON THEIR NERVES AND BEING ON THE COMMITTEE AND ACTUALLY ADVOCATING FOR OUR NATURAL RESOURCE TO BE USED FOR THE REAL SOCIAL GOOD AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE USED FOR THE REAL SOCIAL GOOD. I UNDERSTAND HOW BUSINESS AND POLICY ALL ALIGN TOGETHER, AND THE THING I'M SPEAKING ON WITH THE APPROVING THE CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT. SO BASICALLY WHAT I'M ASKING THE CITY TO DO IN THE FUTURE, AS YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY ADOPTED 3D PRINTED CONSTRUCTION, AS WE HAVE SOME FEDERAL LEGISLATION CALLED THE CLARITY ACT, THAT IS HAVING A LOT OF DISAGREEMENT BECAUSE OF THE FRACTIONAL RESERVE THAT THE CENTRAL BANKING SYSTEM GIVES PEOPLE. MR. JONES, THIS ISN'T POSSIBLY GOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE. I'M SORRY. LIKE IF YOU COULD ACTUALLY ADDRESS, THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO TALK ABOUT CRYPTO AND 3D PRINTING AND THE FUTURE OF AMERICA IN PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THE END. BUT IF YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A IT SAYS PUBLIC UTILITY AND ALL OF THIS DOES ALIGN. IT DOES SAY CONSTRUCTION. I'M JUST SAYING THAT THERE IS A DOCUMENT BEFORE YOU THAT HAS CONSTRUCTION ON IT, AND YOU CAN UTILIZE THE UTILITY OF THE COIN FOR 3D PRINTED CONSTRUCTION. SO IN THE FUTURE, I'D LIKE YOU GUYS TO USE DIGITAL FINANCE. THESE UTILITIES, THE ACTUAL UTILITY OF THE TOKEN TO FUND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DOES ALIGN. DAVID, I KNOW IT'S DIFFERENT.
[00:05:02]
NO, MR. JONES, IT DOESN'T ALIGN. THE FACT THAT YOU CAN TAKE A WORD AND CONNECT IT TO ANOTHER WORD DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA. I BELIEVE IT DOES. I'D BE OPEN TO SIT AND SPEAK TO YOU AFTER THAT, BUT I'LL BE WAITING FOR MY NEXT THREE MINUTES AFTER.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS. MR. WASHINGTON, MR. STROM, FELLOW CITIZENS. GREETINGS. IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. MY NAME IS DANIEL SCOTT, AND I LIVE IN THE CITY OVER 31 YEARS. AND THAT'S MY REAL IDENTITY. I'M A FOLLOWER OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC HEARINGS. NUMBERS TWO AND THREE. MR. SCOTT, THAT. NO, THAT'S YOUR ONLY UP HERE TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE ACTUALLY ON THE AGENDA FOR APPROVAL. PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE NOT THINGS WE VOTE ON TODAY. WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING LATER. OH, SO I CAN SPEAK THEN? YES. VERY WELL. GREAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OKAY. SEEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, THIS BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT ITEM. I'M SORRY. I'M WORKING THROUGH MY. AND THAT IS PETITIONS AND PARDON ME APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE PRIOR MEETING MINUTES. SO MOVED. SUPPORT. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.[PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS]
AYE. MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS, MR. CLARK.FIRST ONE IS COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM JERRY HARRIS REGARDING PARKING ISSUES IN THE CITY. RECEIVING FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM LANCE OWENS, CALLING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, OVERSIGHT AND PROTECTION OF CIVIL RIGHTS. FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM NATHAN HONEYCUTT REGARDING APPEAL REQUEST NUMBER 2026 169. RECEIVING FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM BETSY HERNANDEZ, NORTHEAST CITIZEN ACTION ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, REGARDING THE FISCAL YEAR 27 FOCUS AREAS FILED AND COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM
[REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS]
JOHNNY BRAND, SENIOR REGARDING THE POLICE CHIEF RECEIVING FILED. THAT BRINGS US TO REPORT OF CITY OFFICERS COMPTROLLER'S WARRANT REPORT FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY 13TH, 2026 THROUGH JANUARY 26TH, 2026. THE AMOUNT OF $27,433,945.76 FILED AND THE TREASURER'S REPORT FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY 14TH, 2026 THROUGH JANUARY 27TH, 2026. FILED. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR[CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL]
CONSENT AGENDA. THIS THESE ARE ITEMS WHICH ARE UP FOR WHICH HAVE PASSED THROUGH COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY AND HAVE NOT BEEN PULLED FOR BY ANY INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER FOR ANY REASON.CAN I HAVE A MOTION SUPPORT, ALL IN FAVOR OF PASSING THE CONSENT AGENDA? SAY I, I I
[2. Motion to suspend the rules to consider City Commission Resolution]
MOTION CARRIES AND THAT BRINGS US THERE BEING NO ORDINANCES TO BE ADOPTED TO CITY RESOLUTIONS.AND THE FIRST IS A RESOLUTION. PARDON ME, I HAVE A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES. SO MOVED.
AND COMMISSIONER. PARDON. CALL THE ROLL ON THE MOTION OR I MEAN YOU MEAN GET A MOTION OR JUST APPROVE THE MOTION? YEP. THE MOTION CARRIES COMMISSIONER PURDUE. AND CAN I HAVE A MOTION
[1. City Commission resolution approving settlement in the matter of watermain break claims]
ON THIS RESOLUTION? YOU GOT THAT? OH WE DID I THOUGHT THAT WAS JUST FOR SUSPENDING THE RULES. OH, SORRY. SO MOVED RIGHT ON. OKAY, COMMISSIONER PURDUE, IF YOU COULD INTRODUCE THIS FOR US, I THINK YOU NEED A COUGH. WE'RE GOOD. YOU'RE GOOD. OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO I'M GOING TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND BEHIND THIS RESOLUTION. THIS IS IN RELATED TO THE MATTER OF THE WATER MAIN BREAK CLAIMS THAT OCCURRED LAST SUMMER. AND THIS THIS MATTER WAS PRESENTED TO THE CITY COMMISSION IN PREVIOUS CLOSED SESSIONS, TOGETHER WITH A WRITTEN LEGAL OPINION REGARDING THIS CLAIM. SETTLEMENT OF THE CLAIMS OF THE WATER MAIN BREAK BREAK CLAIMANTS AND THERE IS A LIST OF NAMES WAS RECOMMENDED IN THE TOTAL GLOBAL AMOUNT OF $195,000 PAYABLE TO THE CLAIMANTS COUNCIL, AND THIS AMOUNT INCLUDES ANY AND ALL CLAIMS BY CLAIMANTS ARISING FROM THE JUNE 13TH, 2024 WATER MAIN BREAK AT ADAMS STREET AND PHILADELPHIA AVENUE SOUTHEAST. DESCRIBED IN THE CLAIMS AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION. Q ANY QUESTIONS? OTHERWISE, I THINK ALL OF US CAN SAY IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY GLAD TO HAVE A RESOLUTION HERE. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OTHERWISE,[1. City Commission to hold public hearing as Board of Review to hear appeals on Crescent Avenue Alley Improvements Special Assessment Roll #8774]
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO PUBLIC HEARINGS AND OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AS BOARD OF REVIEW TO HEAR APPEALS ON CRESCENT AVENUE, AVENUE ALLEY IMPROVEMENTS, SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, RULE NUMBER 8774. AND. ACTUALLY WE'RE WAITING FOR IT TO BE INTRODUCED. SO. HI, I'M LINDSAY POST, THE[00:10:14]
ACTING CITY ASSESSOR. CURRENTLY TODAY WE'RE ASKING THE CITY COMMISSION TO ACT AS BOARD OF REVIEW TO HEAR APPEALS OF CHARGES LEVIED ON THE CRESCENT AVENUE ALLEY IMPROVEMENT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT RULE NUMBER 8774. THIS PROJECT WAS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THE CRESCENT STREET ALLEY BETWEEN GRAND AVENUE AND EASTERN AVENUE. IT CONSISTED OF GRADING CONCRETE PAVING, GRAVEL, SHOULDERS, AND TREE REMOVAL. THE CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETED IN 2025, AND THE FINAL PROJECT COST WAS $119,628.42. THE CITY SHARE OF THE COST WAS $7,892.21, REDUCING THE FINAL ASSESSMENT TO BE SPREAD TO A TOTAL OF $111,736.21, AND THIS RESULTED IN A FINAL ASSESSMENT OF RATE OF $100.14 PER FRONT FOOT. PROPERTY OWNERS WERE ALL SENT NOTICES ON JANUARY 5TH, 2026 AND NOTIFIED OF THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT AND APPEAL PROCESS.THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL HAS BEEN OPEN FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS STARTING ON JANUARY 19TH THROUGH TODAY, AND THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE HAS RECEIVED THREE APPEALS TO DATE.
TODAY IS THE FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO FILE AN APPEAL. APPEALS MUST BE MADE IN WRITING, AND I HAVE FORMS AVAILABLE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE IN ROOM 901 TO ASSIST ANYONE WHO WISHES TO FILE AN APPEAL. THANK YOU. AND I CAN SEE WE HAVE AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS. MY NAME IS SEBASTIAN. I'M THE OWNER OF A PROPERTY ON 715, RIGHT INTO THE MICROPHONE. THANK YOU. I'M THE OWNER. OH, SORRY. SEBASTIAN, I'M THE OWNER OF 715 INDUSTRY, WHICH WAS AFFECTED BY THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT. HERE WITH ME TODAY IS MY GIRLFRIEND, WHO IS PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE EQUIPPED TO TALK ON THIS FROM HER JOB AND TITLE WORK, SO I'LL HAND IT OVER TO HER. YEAH. SO I WAS ACTUALLY HIS REAL ESTATE AGENT AS WELL, AND I JUST WANTED TO COME HERE. WE ALSO FILED A WRITTEN APPEAL, BUT WHEN WE PURCHASED THIS HOME IN APRIL OF 25, WE TOURED THE HOME OBVIOUSLY SAW THE ALLEY, THE CONSTRUCTION, BY ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, WAS COMPLETE. AT THAT TIME, WE HAD NO EVIDENCE THAT THERE WAS AN ACTIVE ASSESSMENT HAPPENING. AND ADDITIONALLY WE GOT TITLE INSURANCE. NOTHING SHOWED UP THERE. AND BECAUSE IT WAS NOT AN ACTIVE ASSESSMENT THAT WAS DUE AND PAYABLE, IT'S NOT IN PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. SO IT DID NOT COME UP WHEN WE PURCHASED THE HOME. I DID SPEAK TO THE ENGINEER AND THE TREASURER ABOUT THE TIMELINE. THE TREASURER DOES SAY IT'S FLAGGED, BUT I WORK AT A TITLE COMPANY.
I CHECKED IT TODAY. IT IS NOT FLAGGED. I MEAN, IT'S FLAGGED IF YOU CALL, BUT IF YOU JUST SEARCH THE PROPERTY AS MOST TITLE COMPANIES WOULD, IT DOES NOT SHOW UP. SO RIGHT NOW, IF YOU WERE TO PURCHASE A HOME ON THIS PROPERTY, IT WOULDN'T SHOW UP. AND WE PURCHASED THE HOME UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE WAS NO ACTIVE ASSESSMENT. BUT NOW WE'RE BEING BILLED FOR IT.
ADDITIONALLY, I KNOW IT WAS AN ACTIVE ASSESSMENT, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS A 50.2% PASS. SO HAD WE LIVED THERE AT THAT TIME, IT WOULD NOT HAVE PASSED AND WE HAVE WOULD NOT HAVE VOTED IN FAVOR OF IT. SO JUST ASKING FOR CONSIDERATION IN TERMS OF OUR PORTION OF THE ASSESSMENT, I BELIEVE THERE'S ONLY ONE OTHER PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN SOLD SINCE THE VOTE. THE VOTE WAS, I BELIEVE, IN 22, AND I BELIEVE PRICES PER HOME WERE FINALIZED OR AT LEAST HAD A GOOD ESTIMATE TWO YEARS AGO, THREE YEARS AGO. BUT I GUESS I'M JUST NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW PEOPLE CAN BE PURCHASING HOMES WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ASSESSMENT. THAT'S ALREADY DECIDED. SO ANYTHING TO ADD? I DON'T THINK SO. JUST A LITTLE SURPRISED TO GET A FOUR GRAND MAIL IN THE BILL OR FOUR GRAND BILL IN THE MAIL AND NOT HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE THERE FOR. SO YEAH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NO THANK YOU. OTHERS WISHING TO BE HEARD ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING. YEAH. HELLO CITY COMMISSIONERS. HELLO. MY NAME IS SONYA. I'M FROM THE WEST SIDE. I'M SPEAKING HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE GRAND RAPIDS ACTION COMMITTEE. LAST MONTH, FOLLOWING THE DEATHS OF RENE GODIN ALEX IN MINNEAPOLIS, WE HELD A MEETING WITH A BROAD GROUP OF WORKERS, ACTIVISTS, IMMIGRANTS, UNION MEMBERS TO DISCUSS HOW WE SHOULD RESPOND TO ICE ACTIVITY HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DECLARE YOU OUT OF ORDER. YOU MAYBE. YOU MAYBE ARE. YOU WEREN'T. OKAY. COOPERATION. I'D ASK. I'D ASK SECURITY TO PARDON. CAN SECURITY PLEASE ESCORT THIS
[00:15:01]
INDIVIDUAL AWAY FROM THE MICROPHONE? NO FINANCIAL OR POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR ICE. NO LOCAL ASSISTANCE IN ICE OPERATIONS. NO COMPLIANCE WITH ICE DEMANDS. POINT OF ORDER, MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR FOR THE COMMUNITY WHO JUST WALKED IN THAT WE ARE IN A PUBLIC HEARING FOR A DIFFERENT MATTER, NOT THE REGULAR OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. THERE MAY BE A CONFUSION AND THIS IS NOT THE THIS COMMENT SHOULD BE SHARED DURING OUR OPEN PUBLIC AT THE END. IT WILL BE AT THE END OF OUR MEETING LIKE OUR USUAL AGENDA, THIS JUST HAPPENS TO BE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE BOARD OF REVIEW. WE'RE ACTING AS A SPECIAL BOARD OF REVIEW FOR A TAX ASSESSMENT RIGHT NOW, AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE COMING FORWARD. SO THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY THE MISCOMMUNICATION RIGHT NOW. WORKING PEOPLE, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TIME TO SIT THROUGH A WHOLE. WELL, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE TIME TO LISTEN TO ME WHEN I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING TO YOU, SIR OR MA'AM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR GENDER IS, BUT YOU CERTAINLY HAVE TIME TO LISTEN. AND YOU'RE. IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO LISTEN TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN A MEETING, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY OPTIONS EXCEPT TO TRY TO MAINTAIN ORDER. SO IF YOU WANT TO SIT DOWN, YOU CAN YOU CAN CERTAINLY SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE END.OKAY. WE'RE HERE TO DEMAND SANCTUARY. DO. DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID? DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY, PLEASE. YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER AND WE'LL LEAVE IT. UP TO.
ICE. WATER, ICE WHERE? HIGH UP. JUST SAVED US HALF AN HOUR. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO BE HEARD ABOUT THE ALLEY ON CRESCENT STREET? SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS, I WILL ASK THIS
[2. Public hearing to consider establishing an Industrial Development District for Long Road Distillers at 1750 Elizabeth Avenue NW]
[3. Public hearing to consider an application for an Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate filed by Long Road Distillers for a $680,000 project located at 1750 Elizabeth Avenue NW]
HEARING NOW BE CLOSED. THAT MOVES US ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS SOMETHING FROM WHICH I'M GOING TO RECUSE MYSELF. WE'RE HAVING, I BELIEVE, TWO CONSOLIDATED PUBLIC HEARINGS.MISS RUNNER IS COMING UP, BUT I'LL ASK OUR PRESIDENT TO COME UP BECAUSE JUST SO THE AUDIENCE AND THE PUBLIC KNOWS THERE'S A REQUEST HERE REGARDING A BUSINESS THAT I HAVE AN INTEREST IN. SO I'M RECUSING MYSELF EVEN FROM BEING AROUND WHILE THIS IS BEING PUBLIC HEARD. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR STATING WHAT THAT CONFLICT WAS. AND NOW I'M JUST GOING TO READ WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE THAT ARE OPEN TODAY, BUT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THEM TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY'RE REGARDING THE SAME PROPERTY. AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ BOTH, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MISS ROMERO, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. SO FIRST IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHING AN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT FOR LONG ROAD DISTILLERS AT 1750 ELIZABETH AVENUE NORTHWEST. AND THEN THE COMPANION ITEM IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AN APPLICATION FOR AN INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE FILED BY LONG ROAD DISTILLERS FOR A $680,000 PROJECT LOCATED AT SAME ADDRESS, 1750 ELIZABETH AVENUE NORTHWEST.
SO AGAIN, FIRST WE'LL HEAR FROM MISS ROMERO AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT, AND THEN WE WILL OPEN THE HEARING. MISS ROMERO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. YES, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT AND THEN INVITE FORMER COMMISSIONER JOHN O'CONNOR TO COME UP AND TALK ON BEHALF OF THE PROJECT. SO, YES, AS THIS WAS EXPLAINED, WE HAVE A DISTRICT THAT'S THE FIRST ITEM. AND THE SECOND ITEM IS RELATED TO THE INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE. LONG ROAD DISTILLERY OPERATES AT A SPACE ON LEONARD AT 537 LEONARD, AND UTILIZES AN OFF SITE WAREHOUSE FOR STORAGE AND EQUIPMENT, AND THESE FACILITIES ARE OPERATING AT MAXIMUM CAPACITY. SO THIS REQUEST AROUND OR FOR THE EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE WILL ALLOW GROWTH OF THEIR EXPANSION PRODUCTION CAPABILITIES, INCLUDING DISTILLATION. DISTILLATION. DISTILLATION, THANK YOU CAPACITY, AND THE INSTALLATION OF A CANNING LINE FOR ITS READY TO DRINK PRODUCTS. THIS IS A FACILITY THAT'S 20,000FTā !S. THE ESTIMATED PROJT COST IS 690, OR $679,727 IN REAL PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS 520,000 FOR REAL PROPERTY. EXCUSE ME. AND 139,125 IN NEW EQUIPMENT, THE VALUE TO LONG ROAD IS APPROXIMATELY 60,000 OVER THE 12 YEAR PERIOD. I'D LIKE TO INVITE COMMISSIONER RIGHT BEHIND YOU. YES, IF YOU'D LIKE TO PROCEED. MR. O'CONNOR, TO THE MICROPHONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NICE TO SEE YOU. NICE TO SEE YOU. NICE TO SEE ALL OF YOU
[00:20:02]
AS WELL. YEAH. THANK YOU TO MR. ROMERO AND HER TEAM IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR HELPING US WORK THROUGH THIS. WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR ALMOST 11 YEARS NOW. AT 537, LEONARD, ON THE WEST SIDE, OUR SPACE IS PRETTY WELL BUILT OUT TO CAPACITY, AS WELL AS OUR OFFSITE STORAGE LOCATIONS PRETTY WELL MAXED OUT. WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN UTILIZING THIS BUILDING ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. IT'S A VERY OLD, TIRED, INDUSTRIAL BUILDING THAT'S HAD A BUNCH OF WEIRD ADDITIONS ADDED ON OVER THE YEARS. HOWEVER, FOR US, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT BUILDING IN A GREAT LOCATION NEAR WHERE WE'RE AT. I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT. IT'S KIND OF A FORGOTTEN PART OF THE NORTHWEST SIDE. IT'S A BUNCH OF DEAD END STREETS UP TO PLASTIC CAREER TO INDIAN MILL CREEK. WE GOT NEW NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE STREET WITH HABITAT, HAVING RECENTLY MOVED THEIR HEADQUARTERS ACROSS THE STREET. AND SO THERE'S SOME ACTIVITY HAPPENING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.WE'RE JUST EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ALL OF OUR OPERATIONS UNDER ONE ROOF. WE'LL PROVIDE A GREAT AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL CAPACITY AND ROOM FOR FUTURE GROWTH. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY INSTALLED A CANNING LINE FOR OUR READY TO DRINK PRODUCTS. WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO BEGIN PRODUCING NONALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS, AS WELL AS THE MARKET CHANGES. AND AND WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS, WHICH WILL HELP US CONTINUE TO TO GROW AND REMAIN IN GRAND RAPIDS. THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION AND HEARING THE OVERVIEW. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AGAIN FOR BOTH OF THE THE CONSIDERATIONS OF BOTH THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT AS WELL AS THE INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE. MR. SCOTT, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. AGAIN, I'M A FOLLOWER OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THAT'S MY REAL IDENTITY, MOST IMPORTANT IDENTITY. YEAH, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AGAIN AS I DID LAST TIME. AGAIN, I ADMINISTERED IN HEARTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD OVER 45 YEARS, AND I SEE ALMOST EVERY DAY THE RESULT OF ALCOHOL. AGAIN. I'VE SHARED WITH YOU. I USED TO BE A DRUNKARD BEFORE I WAS BORN AGAIN AND DELIVERED AND SAVED BY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS. THIS IS NOT FAR FROM WHERE I LIVE, AND IF YOU NOTICE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMERTIME, YOU'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY ALCOHOL ON THE WEST SIDE. LIVING OUTSIDE, BEGGING FOR HANDOUTS. I'M NOT AGAINST THAT, BUT I AM AGAINST THIS. PLAN. BECAUSE IT COULD AFFECT MY NEIGHBORHOOD AS IT DOES AFFECT THE WHOLE CITY. AGAIN, TO MAYOR LA GRANDE AND I UNDERSTAND FORMER COMMISSIONER O'CONNOR, ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL HERE? THE HOLY SCRIPTURE SAYS THIS. WOE TO HIM WHO GIVES HIS NEIGHBOR DRINK, WHO PUTS THE BOTTLE TO HIM AND MAKES HIM DRUNK, THAT YOU MAY LOOK ON HIS NAKEDNESS, YOU WILL BE FILLED WITH DISGRACE RATHER THAN HONOR. NOW YOU YOURSELF DRINK AND EXPOSE YOUR OWN NAKEDNESS. THE CUP IS IN THE LORD'S RIGHT HAND. HE WILL COME AROUND TO YOU. WITH DISGRACE. DISGRACE WILL COME UPON YOU. I OPPOSE THIS FOR THE SAKE OF THE CITY AND THE WEST SIDE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY. HEARING AND SEEING NO ONE ELSE, WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY LET ME ASK COLLEAGUES. DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION, COMMISSIONER? YEAH, NOT A QUESTION. THANKS. MADAM PRESIDENT, JUST A COMMENT. AS A FORMER COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND, I KNOW LONG ROADS PRESENCE ON ON THE WEST SIDE HAS BEEN INDELIBLE POSITIVE IMPACT FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. SO JUST EXCITED TO SEE AND SUPPORT WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO EXPAND THEIR OPERATIONS. SO THANKS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD. AND NOW THAT'S BEEN CLOSED. AND THIS IS NOW REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. THANK YOU. AND WOULD SOMEBODY GRAB MR. MAYOR AND HAVE HIM COME BACK. THANK YOU.
[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
THOSE HEARINGS BEING CONCLUDED. THIS BRINGS US TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT. AND UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENT OR FRIENDS SEEM[00:25:02]
TO HAVE LEFT. BUT THOSE WHO REMAIN CAN COME TO THE MICROPHONE. ALL RIGHT. NOW MY THREE MINUTES. HOW Y'ALL DOING I'M D JONES. IT'S BLACK HISTORY. DON'T FORGET THAT. Y'ALL STOLE OUR HISTORY. THEY STOLE OUR HISTORY. AND I DON'T LIKE THAT. AND BLACK PEOPLE STILL STRUGGLE.EVEN THOUGH CAUCASIAN PEOPLE STOLE OUR HISTORY. Y'ALL UTILIZE OUR HISTORY TO BE ABLE TO BE IN POWER. SOME OF Y'ALL ARE JUST SO PRIDEFUL. Y'ALL FORGET ABOUT US AND THE AFRICAN AMERICANS. AND I BELIEVE NOBODY IS ILLEGAL ON STOLEN LAND, HONESTLY. AND I DID LIKE BAD BUNNY'S PERFORMANCE, AND I DO BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE SUPPORTING AND STICKING UP FOR OUR HISPANIC COMMUNITY, AS I HAVE HISPANIC AND AFRICAN AMERICAN NIECES AND NEPHEWS. BUT ME JUST BEING AN ETHICAL PERSON, I BELIEVE WHEN SOMETHING IS BAD AND SOMETHING IS WRONG TO OUR COMMUNITY, THAT PEOPLE SHOULD STAND UP AND BE A VOICE. SO ALSO VLADIMIR PUTIN AND BUILD THAT. THAT THIS JESUS FIGURE WAS A BLACK PERSON. I KNOW Y'ALL SEEN THE WORLD LEADERS DO THAT. SO LET'S KEEP IT REAL THOROUGH BECAUSE I'M A VERY TRUTHFUL PERSON. I LIKE THE TRUTH, THE REAL TRUTH, THE UNIVERSAL TRUTH. AS I WAS SPEAKING ON THIS PARTY ECOSYSTEM, AS I EXPLAINED, I AM ON THE COMMITTEE FOR THIS BLACK HISTORY, BUT I AM ON THE COMMITTEE FOR THE GRT CHAMBERS FOR OUR BUSINESS TAXES AND REGULATIONS COMMITTEE. SO I WILL BE SPEAKING ON 3D PRINTED CONSTRUCTION, I WILL BE SPEAKING ON ESPORTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND CRYPTOCURRENCY BECAUSE IT COULD BE USED FOR THE SOCIAL GOOD. I KNOW HOW BUSINESSES IN THE GRT CHAMBERS INFLUENCES OUR COMMUNITY AND THE REPUBLICANS IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE. AND THE REPUBLICANS LIKE THIS 3D PRINTED CONSTRUCTION, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THEY SIT THERE AND HAVE THE CODES AND THERE'S PENDING LITIGATION AGAINST THE CODES RIGHT NOW, THEY LIKE FOR THEIR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO BE BUILT, BUT IT'S SO EXPENSIVE FOR THEM TO BUILD IT BECAUSE EVEN THEY GET IN THE WAY OF THEM BEING ABLE TO BUILD CHEAPER. IT'S CRAZY HOW POLITICS IS. GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY. AND THEN YOU GUYS KNOW THAT I WAS SPEAKING ABOUT HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGES. I WAS BEING VERY, VERY STRATEGIC OF GETTING HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGE, TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, BEING ABLE TO INCREASE DIGITAL EQUITY FOR HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGES, BECAUSE I LIVE IN THE SECOND WORST CITY FOR ECONOMICS, FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS, AND I EXPECT OUR ELECTED LEADERS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT CONTINUOUSLY. WE NEED CONTINUOUS INVESTMENT ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND ALL AFRICAN AMERICANS. WE NEED TO UPLIFT EVERY SINGLE PERSON. AND I AM GOING TO BE A VOICE. I'M GOING TO USE THE SAME VOICE THAT I'M SPEAKING HERE AT CITY HALL, AT THE CHAMBERS, TO THE BILLIONAIRES, TO THE AMERICAN WAY, WHICH IS THE AMWAY, WHICH IS REALLY BLACK PEOPLE, WHICH IS BLACK CULTURE, WHICH IS BLACK EVERYTHING. THE HISTORY OF AMERICA IS BASED OFF OF BLACK SPIRITUALITY, BLACK PEOPLE, BLACK CULTURE, BLACK AFRICAN AMERICANS THAT ARE STRUGGLING EVERY DAY. AND YOU GUYS NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THAT WAS MY QUESTION AT THE MAYOR'S MONDAY THAT I FORGOT IS, DAVID, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THE ECONOMY? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THE SOUTH SIDE? AND I KNOW THAT YOU LOVE PEOPLE AND I CARE ABOUT YOU, DAVID, BUT WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO BE SURE THAT THE ECONOMY IS EQUITABLE AND EQUAL FOR EVERYONE. AFRICAN AMERICANS, BLACK HISTORY. GOOD AFTERNOON, JOHNNY BRAND. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE THE NEW POLICE CHIEF. I KNOW WE HAVE THE INTERIM CHIEF.
JOE TRIGG. AND I CAN TELL YOU WITH KNOWLEDGE THAT HE WOULD BE THE BEST NEXT CHIEF IN THE CITY.
HE'S A MAN OF CHARACTER. HE'S BEEN WITH US FOR 25 YEARS. HE LOVES OUR CITY. HE'S ALL THE ALL THE PERSONNEL OF HIM. HE'S GOT THE KOSMINSKI WAS HIS PARTNER. THAT MEANS A LOT TO HIM. AND SO HE'S DEDICATED THE CITY. OUR CHIEF DID A GREAT JOB. IT'S LEAVING. BUT HE CHOSE TO LEAVE TO GO TO A NEVER EVER HOME OR WHATEVER THAT IS AND GO OUT ON TOP. BUT WE'RE NOT DONE YET. AND I THINK THIS OUR NEW CHIEF WILL TAKE US FURTHER. AND I COMPLIMENT MR. WASHINGTON ON THAT, TOO. I THINK THAT WE'VE THERE'S BEEN GREAT STRIDES MADE, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE TO DO.
THE FACT THAT WE HAVE 300 AND THEY KEEP SAYING MANDATE 312. THAT'S TO ME WE NEED MORE OFFICERS THAN THAT NOW, MAYBE. VERY WELL KNOW THAT. BUT WE DO. I MEAN, THE AMPHITHEATER, THE SOCCER STADIUM, ALL THAT. WE KNOW THAT WE NEED MORE OFFICERS. I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT 3 TO 1 OFFICERS DOWN IN PENSACOLA WHERE THE CHIEF'S LEAVING EX-CHIEF, AND HERE'S LIKE ONE AND A HALF. WE'RE LOW NATIONAL AVERAGE. WE ARE. AND POLICE SERVE A GREAT PURPOSE. THEY DO.
I MEAN, THEY PROTECT LIVES. THEY'RE DETERRENT. YOU'VE GOT ENOUGH OFFICERS OUT PATROLLING.
CRIMES DON'T HAPPEN. THAT WOULD HAVE, BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT PATROLLING. THEIR PRESENCE MATTERS. THEY PROTECT LIVES. I STILL COME UP HERE AND SAY THIS BECAUSE I STILL GET SO SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE THAT JUST BASH THE POLICE. IT'S JUST BASH THE POLICE. IT'S SO EASY TO DO, ISN'T IT? YOU KNOW THE OLD SAYING, WELL THEN DON'T CALL THEM, RIGHT. OKAY. I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I FEEL ABOUT IT. IT GETS SO RIDICULOUS. I JUST FEEL STRONGLY THAT JOE TRIGG IS A
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MAN, AND I KNOW THE NATIONAL SEARCH IS GOING TO BE DONE, AND I KNOW THAT COST HIM THE $200,000 AREA TOTAL. ALL EVERYTHING INCLUDED. WE DID THAT WITH ERIC PAYNE AND WE HIRED HIM INTERNALLY. WE DID HIRE OUTSIDE WITH CHIEF WINSTROM, AND THAT WAS A GOOD HIRE FOR SURE, AND HE DID A GREAT JOB FOR US. ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE IN LOYALTY AND I BELIEVE IN THE STATE OF THE CITY, I LOVE GRAND RAPIDS AND I WANT THE NEXT CHIEF TO STAY WITH THIS CITY UNTIL THEY RETIRE. AND I FEEL STRONGLY THAT JOE TRIGG WILL DO THAT.HE'S THE MAN FOR THE JOB, DON'T YOU THINK, SIR? MAYOR. HE'S LAUGHING. I'M SERIOUS. YOU THOUGHT I WAS LAUGHING? I'M SORRY. WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO RESPOND, JOHNNY. YOU KNOW THAT.
YOU JUST DID. I'VE JUST NEVER SEEN A POSITION LIKE THIS. JUST SITTING THERE. SO PERFECT. I MEAN, YOU GOT CHIEF WINSTROM COMES IN, DOES SO MUCH, BRINGS US UP HERE ALONGSIDE DEPUTY CHIEF TRIGG AND MAYCROFT THAT THEY LEARNED FROM, MENTORED AND WORKED TOGETHER TO BRING IT UP.
AND NOW OUR CHIEF'S LEAVING, UNFORTUNATELY. AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE FOR THE BEST. ALL DUE RESPECT, THE CHIEF SOON TO BE, BECAUSE I THINK JOE TRIGG WILL DO THE JOB. THIS MAN IS A MAN OF CHARACTER. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW HIM, BUT HE'S ONE SOLID MAN THAT LOVES OUR CITY AND HE'S DONE POLICING FOR A LONG TIME AND BINGO, I'M DONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. MAYBE SOMEDAY I'LL MEET SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS THAT I HAVE EVER MET. I'D LIKE TO MEET YOU SOMEDAY. AND SO I'M GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE AS SOON AS I CAN GET MYSELF OUT OF HERE. SORRY FOR THE DELAY. WHEN I MISS DREW ROBINS TO TREMENDOUS COMMISSIONER, I SUPPORT HIM FULLY IN HIS NEXT ADVENTURE IN POLITICS. OH. HELLO, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS ANDY VANDERBILT. I AM A MEMBER OF RESIDENT OF THE THIRD WARD AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MICHIGAN PROPANE GAS COMMISSION. ACCORDING TO THE EPA, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY. PROPANE IS A CLEAN ENERGY. PROPANE HEATS RURAL HOMES AND FUELS OVER 30,000 MICHIGAN FLEET VEHICLES, LIKE THOSE THE RAPID USES FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. THE RAPID BUS SYSTEM HAS A VERY LOW EMISSIONS AND SUPPORTS THE GOALS OF THE GRAND RAPIDS CLIMATE ACTION. THE PLAN THAT I SUPPORT, MY HOPE IS THAT OUR CITY LEADERS WILL CONTINUE TO USE PROPANE, A CLEAN, GREEN ENERGY, AND WILL NOT BECOME OVERLY RELIANT ON EV BUSSES AND TRUCKS FOR THE CITY'S FLEET. EV TRUCKS ARE NOT AS CLEAN AS PROPANE POWERED VEHICLES, AND THEY COST TWICE AS MUCH AS COMPARABLE PROPANE BUSSES OR TRUCKS FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. OUR ELECTRIC GRID IN MICHIGAN AND MOST STATES USES A MIXTURE OF COAL, NATURAL GAS, SOLAR, WIND AND NUCLEAR. OUR GRID ELECTRICITY IS NOT CLEAN. PROPANE VEHICLES ALSO COST LESS TO FUEL AND MAINTAIN. THE CITY OF FLINT SAVED OVER $4 MILLION IN FUEL COSTS DURING THE FIRST FIVE YEARS AFTER SWITCHING TO PROPANE BUSSES. STEPHEN CLAPP, DIRECTOR OF FLEET MAINTENANCE FOR THE RAPID, STATED EARLIER IN THE YEAR THAT PROPANE IS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN DIESEL FUEL OR GASOLINE. PROPANE PRICES DO NOT FLUCTUATE AS MUCH AS AS DIESEL OR GASOLINE, MAKING IT EASIER TO BUDGET ANNUALLY.
PROPANE VEHICLES ALSO EMIT FEWER GREENHOUSE GASES, NITROGEN OXIDES, AND PARTICULATE MATTER THAN GASOLINE, DIESEL, OR ELECTRIC POWER VEHICLES. PROPANE IS THE MOST WIDELY USED ALTERNATIVE FUEL AMONG US CITIES, SCHOOLS AND FLEETS. I RECOGNIZE I RECOGNIZE THE PROMISE OF EVS, BUT THEIR SUPPLY CHAIN HAS SERIOUS SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. A HARVARD RESEARCHER RECENTLY HIGHLIGHTED 75% OF THE COBALT THAT EV BATTERIES COMES FROM COME FROM MINES IN THE CONGO, USING FORCE, ADULT AND CHILD LABOR. THESE REALITIES DESERVE DISCUSSION ALONG OUR LOCAL SUBSTANTIALITY GOALS. CONSUMERS ENERGY PROVIDES A RELIABLE ELECTRIC SERVICE, BUT MICHIGAN'S ELECTRIC GRID STILL HAS STILL DEPENDS HEAVILY ON FOSSIL FUELS. WHILE ELECTRIC VEHICLES PRODUCE NO TAILPIPE EMISSIONS, THE ELECTRICITY POWERING THEM IS NOT A CLEAN ENERGY SOURCE. THAT MEANS ELECTRIFYING OUR CITIES. 158 BUSSES WOULD ACTUALLY INCREASE CITYWIDE EMISSIONS TO AN ESTIMATED 16 METRIC TONS PER YEAR, COMPARED TO PROPANE. THE. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS MAKING IT EASIER FOR A CITY TO POWER UP WITH PROPANE. THE FEDERAL TRANSIT EMISSION OFFERS GRANT FUNDING THAT GRAND RAPIDS CAN USE TO EXPAND OR REPLACE ITS BUS AND TRUCK FLEET. THESE FEDERAL FUNDS CAN BE USED TO PURCHASE PROPANE VEHICLES AND PROPANE FUELING PUMPS BY EXPANDING THE CITY'S FLEET WITH FTA FUNDING, THE CITY CAN REDUCE FLEET VEHICLE COSTS, REDUCE EMISSIONS, AND MOVE CLOSER TO ITS CLIMATE GOALS WITHOUT OVERLOADING THE GRID.
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THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS, FOR YOUR TIME AND LEADERSHIP ON THIS MATTER. AFTERNOON. ONCE AGAIN, FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK MR. WASHINGTON FOR HIS KIND AND POWERFUL COMMENTS CONCERNING POLICE CHIEF WINSTROM AT THE LAST MEETING HERE. I AGREE WITH YOUR COMMENTS 100%. I DO HOPE ONE OF THESE QUOTES FROM POLICE CHIEF WINSTROM IS NOT TRUE HERE. THIS IS RIGHT OFF THE INTERNET.STUPID POLITICIANS ARE ANTI-POLICE JUST TO SCORE POLITICAL POINTS WHEREVER YOU ARE. POLICE CHIEF WINSTROM I PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR THE FOUR YEARS THAT YOU GAVE US AND I WILL MISS YOU PERSONALLY. I WANT TO GIVE A PERSONAL INVITATION TO ALL OF YOU TO COME OUT TO 425 EAST CHERRY ON THURSDAY. WE WILL BE PREACHING THE GOSPEL. NOW, I DON'T USE AMPLIFICATION, SO I DON'T PLAN ON DOING THAT, BUT I WILL BE THERE PREACHING WITHIN 100FT OF PLANNED GENOCIDE BECAUSE THAT'S A PUBLIC SIDEWALK. PLEASE COME OUT AND REALLY EXPERIENCE TRUE LOVE, TRUE COMPASSION, FOR OUR FELLOW CITIZENS THAT ARE NOT YET BORN. THAT'S WHAT WE ARE OUT THERE FOR. BLACK HISTORY MONTH. HERE'S ONE OF THE BABIES SAVED. FROM BEING MURDERED.
OCEAN LEAH SAFE FROM MURDER ON DECEMBER 9TH, 2022. BORN ON JULY 11TH, 2023. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BABY IT IS. BLACK HISTORY MONTH I'D LIKE TO HONOR THAT BY REMINDING YOU THAT MORE BLACK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MURDERED THROUGH WHAT YOU CALL ABORTION, THAN ALL OTHER CAUSES. MORE BLACK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MURDERED SINCE 1973 THROUGH THE MURDER IN THE WOMB. MORE THAN COMBINED.
ALL OTHER CAUSES. AGAIN, MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR, HOW CAN THE DREAM SURVIVE IF WE MURDER THE CHILDREN? EVERY ABORTED BABY IS LIKE A SLAVE IN THE WOMB OF HIS OR HER MOTHER. THE MOTHER DECIDES HIS OR HER FATE. HIS NIECE QUOTE WHEN WE SAID WE WILL NO LONGER SIT AT THE BACK OF THE BUS, A PLACE WAS BEING RESERVED FOR US AT THE ABORTION CLINIC. LET ME CLOSE WITH THE COMMENTS OF THE FOUNDER OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD, MARGARET SANGER. WE DON'T WANT THE WORD TO GET OUT THAT WE WANT TO EXTERMINATE THE POPULATION. THEY ARE HUMAN WEEDS, RECKLESS BREEDERS, SPAWNING HUMAN BEINGS WHO NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN BORN. THAT'S WHY I ACCEPTED AN INVITATION TO TALK TO THE WOMEN'S BRANCH OF THE KU KLUX KLAN. THAT'S WHO YOU SUPPORT.
THAT'S THE SPIRIT YOU SUPPORT. IF YOU SUPPORT FOR 25 AND TAKE MONEY FROM THEM AND GET ENDORSED BY THEM, THAT'S THE SPIRIT YOU'RE SUPPORTING.
IN ESPANOL. USTED ES NECESITAN. THOSE MICROPHONES, THOSE PERSONAS. WHY DO I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU IN SPANISH? YOU NEED TWO MICROPHONES. WHEN THERE'S TWO PEOPLE. SI. ESTOY AQUI. WHY AM I HERE? ESTOY AQUI. NO HAY NINGUN CENTRO DE INFORMATION IN EL CENTRO DE LA CIUDAD. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU AGAIN THAT THERE IS NO INFORMATION CENTER DOWNTOWN. IN CENTRAL. THE INFORMATION. IT'S NONSENSE NOT TO HAVE AN INFORMATION CENTER DOWNTOWN. NO. QUIERO DECIR USTED ES EN TONTOS. I DON'T MEAN TO SAY THAT YOU'RE STUPID. USTED ES UN SORDOS. I WANT TO SAY THAT YOU'RE DEAF. MUY SORDO. VERY DEAF. NO, NOT BLIND, ONLY DEAF. NO ESTAS ESCUCHANDO. YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO ME. LES VOY POR LAS ULTIMAS. THOSE CENTRAL INFORMATION. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHY. THE LAST TWO INFORMATION CENTERS WERE FAILURES. BIG FAILURES. ESCONDIDO. DENTRO OTRA DIVISIO.
BECAUSE THEY WERE HIDDEN INSIDE OTHER BUILDINGS. E LAS OTRAS THOSE CENTRAL. THE INFORMATION
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IS NO ABIERTO IN LAS NOCHES, FIN DE SEMANA O FESTIVALS. AND THE OTHER TWO INFORMATION CENTERS WEREN'T OPEN AT NIGHT AND WEEKENDS OR HOLIDAYS. IT'S NONSENSE. PREGUNTA QUESTION CAN MINUTOS, POR FAVOR, PLEASE CHANGE THE CLOCK TO SIX MINUTES CAMBIAR DE ASSESSMENT. PLEASE CHANGE IT FROM SIX MINUTES FROM 3 MINUTES TO 6 MINUTES. MAS POR FAVOR. THREE MINUTES MORE, PLEASE. GRACIAS. THANK YOU. QUESTION. TENER UN CENTRO DE INFORMATION. WHAT'S THE BEST PLACE TO HAVE AN INFORMATION CENTER? TO ADDRESS ESTATUA DE ROSA PARKS CIRCLE I THE ROSA PARKS. I SAY BEHIND THE ROSA PARKS STATUE. EL MEJOR ESQUINA INTERSECTION IN EL CENTRO DE LA CIUDAD, WHICH IS THE BEST CORNER OR INTERSECTION IN DOWNTOWN EL MEJOR? THE BEST ONE? SI EL PRINCIPAL, THE PRINCIPAL ONE. THE MAIN ONE, THE PEARL MONROE. THE CORNER OF PEARL AND MONROE. UN CENTRO DE INFORMATION I DENTRO OTRO EDIFICIO. WHY DO YOU WANT TO HIDE THE INFORMATION CENTER INSIDE ANOTHER BUILDING? ROSA DENTRO CENTRAL INFORMATION.INFORMATION. LA DOSE DE LA DE DA CVB. SO YOU HAVE YOU SHOULD HAVE THE DDA AND CVB EMPLOYEES INSIDE THE INFORMATION CENTER. QUIERO CONSTRUIR UN CENTRO DE INFORMATION DE THOSE PIECES.
ANOTHER THING IS I WANT TO BUILD AN INFORMATION CENTER THAT'S TWO STORIES HIGH IN A RIVERBANK. RON. KEVIN, I THINK IN THE UPCOMING RIVERBANK RUN, EL SEGUNDO PIZZA DEBERIA SER PARA WOULD TVA CANAL TODO AND MEDIA. THE SECOND STORY SHOULD BE WOULD TVA AND ALL THE OTHER MEDIAS. QUIERO AMARTE EL CENTRO THE INFORMATION. AND I WANT TO NAME THAT INFORMATION CENTER.
THEY MAY BE MAY BESO MEYER. AMWAY. BISSELL. MAYA. AMWAY. BISSELL. ESTAVA IN EL CENTRO DE LA CIUDAD DE GRAND RAPIDS IN MID OTRO SIENTO. BECAUSE BISSELL WAS IN DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS SINCE 1876. IN MAYA DESDE EL NUEVO CENTRO 20 QUATRO AND MAYA SINCE 1934 THE AMWAY AS THEY CIENTOS DE NUEVO AND AMWAY SINCE 1959. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO. I'M SORRY. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO CALL IT? SI E E ADENTRO LOS EMPLEADOS DE DE DE CVB. AND INSIDE THE WORKERS OF THE DDA AND CVB. DEVIL, DEVIL, REAL COLLECT INFORMATION DEL CENTRO DE LA CIUDAD. THEY SHOULD COLLECT ALL THE INFORMATION FROM DOWNTOWN DIARIO, DAILY DIARIO MUY IMPORTANTE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY DO IT DAILY. SI NUEVOS VENGA AQUI. SO WHEN NEW VISITORS COME HERE FOR THE ESTADIO DE FUTBOL TO THE FOR THE FOOTBALL STADIUM, AMPHITHEATER AND THE AMPHITHEATER, DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS TIENE UN CENTRO DE INFORMATION MEJOR DE CUALQUIER CIUDAD EN EL PAIS. DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS WILL HAVE THE BEST INFORMATION CENTER IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY. NO QUIERO OFTEN USTEDES. AND I DON'T WANT TO OFFEND YOU BY SAYING THAT YOU'RE DEAF, BUT. I AM THERE. BUT I HOPE YOU'RE NOT BLIND BECAUSE I'VE GIVEN YOU PAPERS TO READ. IT'S YOUR HOMEWORK. HAVE A GOOD DAY. GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS VERONICA GRIFFIN. YOU SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE. OH. THANK YOU. HI. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS VERONICA GRIFFIN, AND I AM A 45 YEAR RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, AND I HAVE ENJOYED EAST TOWN FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS. I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT AN EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE BEEN LIVING. IT'S ACTUALLY A NIGHTMARE FOR THE LAST TWO PLUS YEARS, AND IT INVOLVES THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT. I HAVE FILED MULTIPLE POLICE REPORTS IN 2025 REGARDING WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE MULTIPLE TENANTS AND OR REGULAR VISITORS TO THE HOME RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO MY HOME, BREAKING INTO MY HOME ON OCTOBER 9TH, 2025. THIS WAS NO DIFFERENT. I CAME HOME AND NOTICED OBVIOUS SIGNS OF YET ANOTHER BREAK IN INTO MY HOME. I CALLED GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I HAVE A BLANK HERE FOR THE POLICE REPORT NUMBER BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE IT WHEN I TYPED THIS UP.
TWO INDIVIDUALS ARRIVED, ONE MALE, ONE FEMALE. THE FEMALE REMAINED SILENT AS THE MALE
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OFFICER INTRODUCED HER AS A SOON TO BE OFFICER. THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARRIVED. WAS AT MY HOME VERY BRIEFLY AND OBTAINED NO INFORMATION AND DID NOT ENTER THE HOME REGARDING THIS BREAK IN. THE OFFICER BRIEFLY EXPLAINED THAT AFTER HE RADIOED IN FOR BACKUP, THAT WE HAVE A TEAM OF PEOPLE WHO SPECIALIZE IN THESE TYPES OF BREAK INS. HE THEN LEFT THE FRONT PORCH OF MY HOME AND WENT RIGHT TO TALK TO THE NEIGHBORS NEXT DOOR WHO WERE OUTSIDE. HE THEN SAT IN HIS TRUCK FOR A FEW MINUTES, AND HE CAME BACK TO TO MY PORCH. I'M GOING TO FORWARD DOWN TO THAT. THAT WAS ON OCTOBER 9TH OF 2025. ON OCTOBER 11TH, 2025. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE OFFICER, THE OFFICER CALLED IN FOR BACKUP. THE BACKUP OFFICERS THAT DID COME CAME AND LOOKED AT THE BREAK IN ON THE DOOR AND SAID, OH, THE DOOR IS OLD. THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE ANY INVESTIGATION INTO THIS, AND THAT I COULD, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY JUST GO HOME. I MEAN, JUST JUST GO AWAY. THEY DID CALL IN A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TRYING TO INDICATE THAT THE REASON FOR MY CALL WAS HAD A MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT TO IT. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. SO TWO DAYS LATER, OCTOBER 11TH, I RETURNED HOME AND AGAIN FOUND THAT SOMEONE HAD BEEN IN MY HOME. I CALLED 911. THEN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY I CALLED BACK TO THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT TO TO DISREGARD THAT CALL BECAUSE ALL I COULD THINK OF WAS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO COME BACK. TREAT THIS AS A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE WHEN IT'S NOT. AND THEN AGAIN, DO NOTHING. AND MA'AM, YOU'RE AT THE END OF YOUR THREE MINUTES. WE DO HAVE AN OFFICER. I, WE USUALLY HAVE OFFICERS HERE. YEAH. CHIEF OFFICER THE BACK. YOU MIGHT WANT TO TALK TO HIM. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.HELLO, FRIENDS. MARK FROM GRAND RAPIDS. STILL UP TO HIS OLD TRICKS ONCE AGAIN. THIS GUY. IS LOSING IT. HE'S LOSING IT BIG TIME. SNARLING AT THE MEDIA, LYING TO PEOPLE AS HE DOES, AS HE DOES ALL THE TIME. NO, HE WANTS TO SABOTAGE CANADA. BY USING THE GORDIE HOWE BRIDGE AS BAIT. IT'S NOT GOOD. AND IF THE. AND IF CONGRESS ALLOWS HIM TO KEEP ON DOING THIS. WE WILL KEEP ON GOING DOWN THAT RABBIT HOLE. FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD. IT'S GOING TO SAY, TO HELL WITH THE UNITED STATES. BUT THIS IS WHAT HE WANTS. NOW IT'S UP TO THE. PEOPLE. WHO NEED TO BE REGISTERED TO VOTE. AND GET READY TO VOTE IN THE MIDTERMS. I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT. I DON'T WANT TO SEE A STUNT LIKE THEY PULLING DOWN NORTH CAROLINA, WHERE WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY, NORTH CAROLINA, GREENSBORO AND NORTH CAROLINA, AT&T ARE BEING SABOTAGED OF THEIR VOTING PLACES. THEY WANT THAT HERE. THEY WANT THAT IN THE STATE. THE ONE HERE IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. SO IT'S UP TO YOU. SO GET READY AND GET REGISTERED AND GET READY TO VOTE IN THE MIDTERMS. I WANT 85 TO 90% PARTICIPATION. WE DON'T WANT TO SEE. THIS THIS DICTATORSHIP BECOME A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE. AND AS FOR THE. SEARCH FOR THE CHIEF, SEARCH FOR NEW CHIEF. I DON'T WANT THIS, I WANT TO I DON'T WANT THIS INDIVIDUAL TO BE PART OF
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TO BE BE INVOLVED IN ANY HATE GROUP WHATSOEVER. IT'S BAD, IT'S BAD, BAD, BAD. CAN'T HAVE IT HERE. WE DON'T WANT SEGREGATION HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS. NO WAY, NO HOW. THANK YOU. REVENGE 2026. AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS JAKE BAKER. I LIVE IN THE JOHN BALL PARK NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I REALLY DON'T LIKE PUBLIC SPEAKING, SO APOLOGIES FOR THAT UP FRONT.BUT I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE THIS YEAR MARKS THE FOURTH YEAR THAT JOHN BALL ZOO'S LANTERN FESTIVAL HAS BEEN GOING ON. AND WITH EACH YEAR, THE IMPACTS OF THAT LANTERN FESTIVAL ON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CONTINUE. WHILE THERE IS NOT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THOSE ACTIONS, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE OTHER CONCERNED NEIGHBORS THAT FEEL THAT AT THE HEART OF THIS ISSUE, WE SEE A GAP BETWEEN GOVERNANCE AND ENFORCEMENT. ACCORDING TO THE KENT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THE ZOO IS A SEMI AUTONOMOUS ENTITY. WHILE IT'S ON COUNTY LAND, THE COUNTY HAS CLEARLY STATED IT DOESN'T OVERSEAS ZOO OPERATIONS, NOR DOES IT ENFORCE CODES OR ORDINANCES ON BEHALF OF THE ZOO.
WHILE THE COUNTY HAS ASSERTED THAT THE COUNTY ITSELF IS EXEMPT FROM CITY ZONING DUE TO CASE LAW, THE ZOO HAS IN TURN DECIDED THAT THEY TOO HAVE THE SAME EXEMPTION AND THAT THIS EXEMPTION SHOULD APPLY TO THEM AS WELL AS NEIGHBORS. WE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY A SEPARATELY OPERATED ENTITY WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM CITY ZONING AND CITY ORDINANCE WITHIN CITY PROPERTY. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS OF LANTERN FESTIVAL OPERATION, THE THE ZOO HAS NEVER SECURED A SPECIAL EVENTS PERMIT AND HAS NEVER SUBMITTED A SITE PLAN FOR PARKING, TRAFFIC MITIGATION, SOUND OR TEMPORARY LIGHTING. AS A RESULT, THE LANTERN FEST, WHICH RUNS FROM APRIL TO JUNE EVERY YEAR, CONTINUES TO OPERATE IN VIOLATION OF CITY ORDINANCE AMPLIFIED SOUND PAST 10 P.M. ON WEEKDAYS. HIGH MASS TEMPORARY LIGHTING PAST MIDNIGHT, REACHING TO RESIDENTIAL HOMES AND USING DESIGNATED OPEN SPACE AND GREEN SPACE FOR PARKING. MAYBE YOU'VE HAD THE LUXURY OF GOING TO THE LANTERN FEST AND HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT, THAT FLURRY OF ACTIVITY. NOW IMAGINE THAT TEN WEEKS IN A ROW AS THE NEIGHBOR, WE LEARNED RECENTLY THAT THERE WAS A MEETING BETWEEN THE COUNTY. AND THERE WAS A DISCUSSION BETWEEN COUNTY ADMINISTRATION STAFF AND THE CITY STAFF ABOUT ORDINANCE ENFORCEMENT, BUT NO MEETING EVER OCCURRED. SO WE'RE LEFT IN LIMBO. THERE'S NO PERMITS, NO OVERSIGHT, NO ENFORCEMENT, NO MITIGATION, NO ACCOUNTABILITY. AND SO IT BRINGS US TO THE QUESTION THAT WE'D LOVE TO GET AN ANSWER FOR. WHY DOES THE ZOO APPEAR TO BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHER COUNTY PROJECTS WITHIN CITY LIMITS, LIKE THE STADIUM OR AMPHITHEATER, BOTH OF WHICH WILL NEED TO COMPLY WITH CITY CODES? THESE CONCERNS HAVE BEEN RAISED WITH THE ZOO AND THE COUNTY, BUT NEITHER SEEM WILLING TO PURSUE VOLUNTARY ALIGNMENT WITH CITY ORDINANCE. AND SO WE'RE LEFT ASKING THE CITY TO DO WHAT IT DOES EVERYWHERE ELSE EXERCISE ITS OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY WITHIN CITY LIMITS TO ENSURE THE ZOO'S ACTIVITIES COMPLY WITH LOCAL CODES AND ORDINANCES. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.
SEEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS, I'LL TURN TO MY COMMISSIONERS. MY COLLEAGUES.
OH, I'M SORRY, I'VE GOT THIS THING HIGH. I WILL KEEP THIS BRIEF. I DIDN'T COME HERE WITH THE INTENTION TO SHARE A COMMENT. I CAME HERE ACTUALLY ON BEHALF OF A CLASS THAT I'M IN FOR THE GRAND VALLEY'S. WHAT AM I SAYING? GRAND VALLEY MASTERS OF SOCIAL WORK. I WAS HERE TO KIND OF TAKE IN WHAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT LOOKS LIKE AND JUST WANT TO POINT OUT AND WELL, IN MY PROGRAM, I AM LEARNING HOW TO TREAT ALL PEOPLE WITH FAIRNESS AND WITH EQUITY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THE DISCRIMINATION THAT I JUST WITNESSED IN THIS ROOM HERE TODAY, AND WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY. I SAW BEFORE THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION, THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE WHO STEPPED UP AND SPOKE OUT OF LINE ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE NOT ON THE AGENDA. THE FIRST WAS A BLACK MAN WHO WAS SPEAKING ABOUT FINANCES. HE WAS TALKED DOWN TO AND TOLD TO HAVE A SEAT. THE SECOND WAS A QUEER PERSON WHO WAS TALKING ABOUT ICE AND WAS AGAIN TALKED DOWN TO AND NOT EXPLAINED UNTIL THE THE, THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE HERE FORCED THEM TO TO EXPLAIN WHY THEY WERE BEING REMOVED. AND THEN MAYOR LE GRAND STEPPED OUT IN THIS MOMENT. BUT A WHITE MAN WHO WAS COMING UP HERE TO SPEW BIBLE VERSES WAS NOT CUT OFF. HE WAS ALLOWED TO SPEAK, EVEN THOUGH HIS COMMENTS, LIKE THE TWO BEFORE HIM, HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PIECE THAT WAS BEING REVIEWED THERE. HE MENTIONED THAT HE LIVES ON THE WEST SIDE AND THAT HE BUT HE NEVER AT ANY POINT DREW HIS COMMENT INTO THE REALM
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OF WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH LONG ROAD DISTILLERY. SO I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THAT THE CONDUCT THAT WAS MADE TOWARDS THE PERSON OF COLOR AND THE PERSON OF A DIFFERENT GENDER IDENTITY, BUT THAT THAT SAME ACTION WAS NOT TAKEN TOWARDS THE WHITE PERSON AND WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE DO BETTER IN THE FUTURE. AND AS A STUDENT OF THIS SPACE AND LEARNING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WOULD LOVE FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. SEE[COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONERS]
NO FURTHER COMMENT. I'LL TURN TO MY COLLEAGUES. COMMISSIONER KILGORE. YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TO THE GRAND VALLEY STUDENT. I AM ALSO GETTING MY MASTER'S AT GRAND VALLEY RIGHT NOW AND MASTERS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. I DO THINK THE THAT, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE FIRST TWO, BUT TO THE LAST, I WILL SAY THAT PASTOR SCOTT'S COMMENTS WERE IN DIRECT OPPOSITION TO ANY ANYONE SERVING ALCOHOL. SO THAT ONE WAS I COULD SEE WHERE THAT WAS IN MORE IN LINE WITH THE EXPANSION OF A DISTILLERY AND THINGS. I COULD SEE THAT ONE MADE A MORE DIRECT CONNECTION AND WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER. I THINK. GRACE, I WAS JUST TALKING WITH A COLLEAGUE OF GRACE HAS REALLY BEEN MY WORD FOR LAST YEAR OF WE'RE GETTING INTO THE SECOND YEAR OF MY FIRST TERM HERE AND JUST REALLY, REALLY SEE HOW MUCH WE NEED. GRACE, THE FIRST INSTANCE OF GRACE THAT I THINK OF IS OUR PLOW TRUCK DRIVERS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING 12 HOUR SHIFTS. I WANT TO LET FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY AND MY CONSTITUENTS KNOW WE ARE HEARING YOUR CONCERNS. WE HAVE GOTTEN RECORD SNOWFALL. WE HAVE GOTTEN OVER A FOOT MORE THAN WE USUALLY GET WITHIN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS.SO THAT CREATES QUITE A CHALLENGING STRAIN ON OUR OPERATIONS. WE ALSO WANT TO HIRE MORE PERSONNEL WHO DO THIS HARD JOB THAT OFTEN GOES UNSEEN. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR CITY STAFF, BUT ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE WORKING HARD JOB AND DOING LONG SHIFTS, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE HOW WE CAN MITIGATE THAT INTENSE PRECIPITATION. I WANT TO WELCOME INTERIM POLICE CHIEF TRIGG AND HIS NEW ROLE AND THANK HIM FOR HIS SERVICE. I THINK MY COLLEAGUES AND I ARE CAN SPEAK FOR I STATEMENTS. I AM SO EXCITED TO WORK WITH HIM AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HE DOES IN THIS INTERIM ROLE AS WE GO INTO COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AS WE'LL HAVE A COMMISSION NIGHT OUT WHERE FOLKS CAN CONNECT MORE, AND WE'RE GOING INTO BUDGET SEASON. SO THIS WILL BE A VERY INTERESTING TIME TO LEAD AS A CHIEF, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HIM AS A COMMISSIONER AND AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. SO YEAH, THOSE WERE TOP OF MIND FOR ME. I ALSO AM EXCITED TO SEE IN OUR ECONOMIC ECONOMIC PROJECT DEVELOPMENT TEAM.
THAT'S A NEW COMMITTEE FOR ME, SO I'M NOT USED TO THAT JUST YET. BUT WE DID GET SOME VERY EARLY CONVERSATION ABOUT THE THIRD WARD EQUITY FUND. AND SO FOR MY COLLEAGUES. SO ONCE WE GET IN MAY AND WE GET INTO THE NITTY GRITTY SO IT'S NOT ANYTHING NEW, I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO US HAVING INTENTIONAL MOVEMENT ON STREET CALMING EFFORTS FOR THE BUSY KALAMAZOO CORRIDOR. SO ON KALAMAZOO STREET AND THE THIRD WARD, NEIGHBORS ALL OVER OUR COMMUNITY HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW THEY WANT TO SEE TRAFFIC CALMING. THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT WE KNOW THAT WE CAN DO THAT, WHETHER THAT BE ADDING LIGHTS, ADDING STOP SIGNS, OR EVEN FLASHING, FLASHING BEACONS. AND I'M HOPEFUL TO GAIN YOUR SUPPORT AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET ON AT LEAST ADDRESSING ONE OF THOSE CONCERNS. THAT WILL, OF COURSE, BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH MOBILE PRIORITIZATION OF WHAT WILL LOOK BEST. SO THAT'S TOP OF MIND FOR ME AND HOPE EVERYONE HAS A SAFE EVENING. COMMISSIONER BOWSER. YAY! I GET TO GO RIGHT AFTER YOU. THAT'S PERFECT. WELL THANK YOU, THAT WAS REALLY WELL SAID. AND THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT I COULD ECHO THERE. I JUST WANT I HAVE A FEW THINGS TO SHARE AS WELL REGARDING THE SNOWPLOW. I WANT TO SHARE MY DEEPEST SYMPATHIES WITH ALL OF US. WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER. I HAVE GOTTEN STUCK MANY TIMES IN MY DOWNTOWN NEAR WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SO I GOT TO RIDE ALONG WITH SNOWPLOW DRIVER ON THE 23RD OF JANUARY, AND THEY REALLY ARE WORKING HARD. AND I THINK I MENTIONED IT THEN, BUT WE DO NEED TO MOVE OUR CARS.
SO I ECHO WHAT COMMISSIONER KILGO SAID THERE TO ALL OF OUR STAFF WORKING SO HARD OVER TIME.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, GRACE, CIVILITY, PROGRESS. THESE ARE WORDS THAT WE KEEP USING AND ALL OF THIS IN THIS MOMENT. AND WHAT I HEAR TODAY THAT I WANT TO REFLECT IS CHANGE. WE HAVE A LOT OF CHANGE HAPPENING, AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A CHANCE TO CHAT WITH THE
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GRAND VALLEY STUDENT AFTERWARDS AND WOULD BE WELCOME YOU INTO MY OFFICE. I LIKE TO DEMOCRATIZE THE VIEW SO PEOPLE CAN COME THERE. AND ALSO I WOULD EXTEND THAT INVITATION TO JAKE FROM JOHN BALL ZOO NEIGHBORS. AS THE FIRST WARD COMMISSIONER. I WOULD LOVE TO CHAT A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT, BUT WE ARE IN A SEASON OF CHANGE AND I WOULD LIKE TO REFLECT THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS I HEARD OUR BRANDON DAVIES FROM OPA SAY TODAY DURING OUR BLACK HISTORY MONTH DECLARATION, WAS THAT WE ARE HERE TO CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ART, TO HONOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALL THE PEOPLE IN GRAND RAPIDS WHO MAKE OUR CITY WHAT IT IS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE HISTORY. AND I THINK THAT IS A GREAT LEVERAGE POINT TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE ARE NOW WELCOMING A SISTER CITY AS OF TODAY. HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE FINISHED ON THE CANADA SIDE WITH VAUGHN, AND IT WAS A PLEASURE TO MEET THOSE FOLKS AND THE HOSPITALITY AND THE CONNECTIONS. I THINK IT IS THE SAME THING INTERNATIONALLY THAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT IN THE COMMUNITY LOCALLY. AND EVEN WHEN WE SEE DISRUPTION IN OUR MEETINGS, IT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO BE HEARD. AND IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE FACT THAT WE REALLY DO WANT TO KEEP OUR CITY SAFE. WE WANT TO KEEP OUR STREETS WELCOMING, AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL PRODUCTIVE AND THAT THEY CAN GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER. AND THAT'S WHY IT CONTINUES TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO TO REITERATE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT OUR POLICIES ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE WORKING WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES THE WAY THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE OR NOT BE. IN THIS CASE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FEDERAL, THE WHAT IS THE NAME OF OUR I, OUR POLICY. I FORGOT FOR A SECOND THE POLICE POLICY IN OUR IN OUR OUR POLICY HERE AT THE COMMISSION AND THE STAFF LEVEL WHERE WE DON'T ASK FOR IMMIGRATION STATUS OR WORK WITH ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF OUR NORMAL DUTIES AND SO ON THAT NOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SAY WELCOME AGAIN TO INTERIM CHIEF TRIGG. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET HIM AND TALK TO HIM, WORK WITH HIM, AND I DO THINK THAT HE IS A BRAVE SOUL FOR STEPPING UP, AND HE HAS A LEGACY THERE TO CONTINUE WITH CHIEF WINSTROM. AND I WANT TO JUST REMIND, JUST REALLY REFLECT ON THE LAST FOUR YEARS. I WASN'T ABLE TO BE COMMISSIONER DURING THAT TIME, BUT I WISH CHIEF WINSTROM THE BEST AS HE MOVES FORWARD WITH HIS CAREER, AND I WANT US TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON ALL THE PROGRESS AND THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT HE WAS ABLE TO DO WITH OUR CITY, I THINK. I THINK I HEARD SOME PEOPLE HERE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT SAY WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS, AND THERE'S MUCH MORE TO BE DONE. SO IT'S A BIT OF A BITTERSWEET AND BEAUTIFUL MOMENT ON THAT. BUT ALSO, I WILL JUST SAY, AS MY FELLOW COLLEAGUE COMMISSIONER ROBBINS HAS HIS LAST DAY TODAY, I'M OFFICIALLY ON THE DAIS FOR BECAUSE HE'LL BE GONE NEXT TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU FOR GUIDING ME IN THE LAST YEAR. I TOOK THIS ROLE, AND I HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE YOU IN THE THE BACK CONVERSATIONS TO GUIDE AS WE GO FORWARD. SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CONTINUES TO MAKE OUR CITY GREAT. I WILL END THERE. COMMISSIONER PUGH. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. GREAT TO SEE YOU. IT'S BEEN A GREAT FIRST MONTH OF THE YEAR. IT'S ALSO BEEN A LITTLE WEIRD, SPENT A LOT OF MEANNESS HAPPENING AND A LOT OF KIND OF MANUFACTURED CHAOS. I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS TODAY, BUT JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE US ALL TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND TO LEAD AND LOVE AND LIGHT, AND WITH STRATEGY. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. I CONCUR WITH THOSE COMMENTS AND I JUST WANT TO SAY. GOOD LUCK. COMMISSIONER ROBBINS.I KNOW AGAIN YOU'LL NOT WOULD YOU SAY THAT TO THAT TO NOT OFFICIALLY DONE. BUT THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE'LL SEE YOU UP HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. AND I'M SURE WE'LL YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO STILL BE IN THE CITY. SO SORRY YOU HAVE TO LEAVE AND NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO, TO SEE YOU. BUT AND I ALSO WANTED TO SAY, YES, IT IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH. AND SOME PEOPLE MAY KNOW THAT AUBURN HILLS, WHICH IS A NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN THAT WAS STARTED BY I THINK IT WAS FIVE DIFFERENT, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I HAVE THE NUMBER ON FIVE DIFFERENT BLACK FAMILIES. THE CITY WAS SELLING PROPERTY. THEN THEY BECAME AWARE OF WHO WAS GOING TO SELL IT, PULLED BACK THE SALE. BUT THESE NEIGHBORS FOUGHT AND THIS WAS ONLY IN THE 60S. SO THIS WASN'T THAT LONG AGO. AND THAT HISTORY, IT IT'S IT'S BEEN OUT THERE. WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT THE FAMILIES AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED THERE. BUT WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT, AND SOMETHING THAT I SHARED IN MY WARD VIDEO, IS THAT I THINK LAST MONTH IT BECAME PART OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, MAKING IT ONLY ONE OF 13 PLACES IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. SO THAT WAS A A GREAT DESIGNATION
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AND A GREAT WAY TO CELEBRATE. I AGREE, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE TAKING OUR OUR FOCUS OFF OF THINGS, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN HERE. I THINK HAVING CONVERSATIONS, MANY OF YOU TODAY, THERE'S A THERE IS A LOT OF MANUFACTURED NOISE AND THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD THAT IS HAPPENING INSIDE THE CITY. THERE'S A LOT OF COMMITTED INDIVIDUALS, SOME WHO YOU MAY SEE MORE OF THAN OTHERS. BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE SNOWPLOWING AS WELL, COMMISSIONER KILGORE. ADDITIONALLY, WE CELEBRATED OUR COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER PERDUE, AS SHE WAS RECOGNIZED AS I THINK, THE WALTER CO HUMANITIES HUMANITARIAN AWARD. I'M GETTING THE THE PLUMBER. I'M SORRY, I'M GETTING THE HUMANITIES AND HUMANITIES HUMANITARIAN AWARD, BUT CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WELL-DESERVED GIANTS AWARD. I THINK SOMETIMES WE FORGET THAT WE ARE ALL PART OF HISTORY, EITHER BEING FIRST OR SECOND OR, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY SOMETIMES, AND QUITE HONESTLY, TODAY, DID YOU KNOW I KNOW THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS SHARED, I WALKED AWAY, I FELT SOME MICROAGGRESSIONS TODAY AND I NEEDED TO WALK AWAY.WHAT DIDN'T FEEL HEALTHY FOR ME. AND SO IT'S GREAT TO CELEBRATE BLACK EXISTENCE AND EXCELLENCE.
AND SO CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN. AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THERE IS A NUMBER OF THINGS IN FRONT OF US. YOU KNOW, YOU HEARD THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION FOR, YOU KNOW, MAKING AN INTERIM ROLE AND ALSO WHAT WILL BE THE FUTURE ROLE OF THE POLICE CHIEF. WE HAVE THIS BODY HAS A DECISION IN FRONT OF US AS IT RELATES TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S POSITION. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A DECISION, DEPENDING ON WHAT WE'LL DO WITH COMMISSIONER ROBINS, SOON TO BE VACATED SEAT. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU. IF IF THAT IS A DIRECT DECISION THAT WE ALL MAKE UP HERE, WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER THE FIRST JOB I HAD AND I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH, THEY'RE GOING TO MISS ME SO MUCH. THEY'RE GOING TO BE SO SAD THAT I'M GONE. AND THEN LIKE A WEEK LATER, THEY'RE LIKE, THEY GET OVER IT. RIGHT. AND SO WE THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR SERVICE.
CERTAINLY. THANK THANKS TO THE CHIEF FOR THE SERVICE. AND THANK YOU TO DEPUTY CHIEF NOW INTERIM CHIEF TRIGG AND DEPUTY CHIEF RAYCROFT AS WELL. I THINK THE SIGN OF A GOOD LEADER IS TO LEAVE A GOOD PLACE AND CHANGE IS INEVITABLE. AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING THROUGH CHANGE, BUT ALWAYS REMINDING PEOPLE THE STRENGTH OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS AND THE MOTTO OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, WHICH IS STRENGTH AND ACTIVITY. AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M KEEPING ON THE FOREFRONT AS WE MOVE THROUGH A NUMBER OF THESE CHANGES. THANK YOU.
THANKS, COMMISSIONER ROBBINS. YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THOSE FOR THOSE COMMENTS, I APPRECIATE IT.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO COMMEND CITY MANAGER'S DECISION IN THE THE APPOINTMENT OF INTERIM DC TRIGG. I KNOW I'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT HIM. I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH HIM THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS IN A NUMBER OF CAPACITIES. GETTING TO KNOW HIM JUST AS A PERSON. I HAVE UTMOST FAITH THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO BE IN THE BEST HANDS WHEN IT COMES TO ALL MATTERS PUBLIC SAFETY, SO WE'RE SUPER GRATEFUL TO TO HAVE HIM. SO I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF, BUT JUST WITH SOME SOME PARTING COMMENTS, I OWE A GREAT DEAL OF THANKS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, THE CITY STAFF AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS, CURRENT AND FORMER, WHO HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR APPRECIATION. I'M SUPER GRATEFUL FOR THAT. TO MY CITY COMMISSION COLLEAGUES, BOTH CURRENT AND FORMER, WHO HAVE WISHED ME THE BEST OF LUCK. I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT, MOST OF ALL TO MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS CRAZY ENDEAVOR INTO THE NEXT. I THANK YOU ALL THE MOST. I JUMPED INTO THE ARENA OF POLITICS WITH BOTH FEET, WITH VERY LITTLE FORMAL EXPERIENCE AND ZERO AGENDA BEYOND MAKING THE CITY THAT I CALL HOME A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL PEOPLE. AND THAT'S EXACTLY HOW I WANT TO LEAVE IT. WELL, I KNOW I'VE HAD DISAGREEMENTS WITH MY COLLEAGUES AS RECENTLY AS THEY'VE MADE IT KNOWN TODAY.
I STILL BELIEVE AND WILL ATTEST THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND THIS TABLE UP HERE ARE INCREDIBLE HUMAN BEINGS WHO LOVE OUR CITY A WHOLE LOT. SERVING IN THIS ROLE OFTEN REMINDS ME OF THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN SUPREME COURT JUSTICES RUTH BADER GINSBURG AND ANTONIN SCALIA. THEY FAMOUSLY FORMED AN UNLIKELY DUO DESPITE VEHEMENT PHILOSOPHICAL DISAGREEMENTS. MANY TIMES THEY BONDED OVER THINGS LIKE A SHARED LOVE OF OPERA, GOOD WINE AND FOOD, AND THEIR CHILDHOODS GROWING UP IN NEW YORK TOGETHER. I'M HAPPY THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO EXPERIENCE A TASTE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE WITH MY MY COLLEAGUES HERE. I STILL BELIEVE THESE TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE LANDSCAPE OF AMERICAN POLITICS, AND WHEREVER MY INTEREST IN PUBLIC POLICY TAKES ME, I WILL DO WHATEVER I CAN TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS SPACE FOR THAT TO. SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE. IT'S BEEN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO HELP
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CARRY A CITY OF 175 YEARS OLD FORWARD FOR JUST A COUPLE MORE. WHILE MY SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY MIGHT LOOK DIFFERENT IN THE FUTURE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS IN NOVEMBER, I'M ALWAYS TEAM GRAND RAPIDS NOW AND FOREVER, SO THANK YOU ALL. THANKS. CITY CLERK. JUST A COUPLE THINGS. THE CITY KENTWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS ASKED FOR A MILLAGE VOTE ON THE MAY 5TH ELECTION. SO IF YOU ARE A RESIDENT IN THE KENTWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT, YOU'LL HAVE AN ELECTION ON MAY 5TH. NO ONE ELSE WILL IN THE CITY, SO THERE'LL BE ONE POLLING LOCATION OPEN AND MORE INFORMATION WILL BE GOING OUT TO ALL THE VOTERS IN KENTWOOD SCHOOLS, WHERE THAT IT'LL BE MOST LIKELY AT BROOKLINE, BROOKSIDE CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH. ALSO, WITH THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN IN PRINT MEDIA, THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS, HAS CHANGED. OWNERSHIP HAS CHANGED. DELIVERY MESSED WITH MY COMICS.AND SO THINGS HAVE CHANGED AT THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS. AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT YOU DON'T GET HOME DELIVERY EVERY DAY. AND ANOTHER CHANGE IS COMING THAT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. THE OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COMMISSION HAVE BEEN IN THE SATURDAY PAPER. AND THEN THERE WAS NO SATURDAY DELIVERY. HAD TO GO TO THE GAS STATION OR WHEREVER ELSE TO GO GET THE SATURDAY PAPER. THEY TOLD US THEY WERE NO LONGER PRINTING OUR OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS IN THE SATURDAY PAPER WILL BE IN THE SUNDAY PAPER, SO YOU'LL GET IT DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME AGAIN. IF YOU ARE STILL ONE OF THOSE FEW PEOPLE THAT GET THE PAPER DELIVERED TO YOUR HOMES, CAN YOU DO AN EDITORIAL COMMENT ABOUT EDITORIALS? AND SO IT'S EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING TO FOR FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT WISHES TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, THINGS HAVE MOVED DIGITALLY, AND WE KNOW THAT DIGITALLY. HOWEVER, IF THE NEWSPAPERS WANT TO MOVE DIGITALLY AND MOVE AWAY FROM PRINT MEDIA AND DELIVERING IT TO HOMES, THEN THE LEGISLATURE NEEDS TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION TO ALLOW US TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION IN A PURELY DIGITAL FORM AS WELL, AND NOT HAVE TO DO BOTH. SO THERE'S THERE'S BEEN LEGISLATION IN THE PAST AS FAR AS MEDIA AND PUBLISHING OFFICIAL NOTICES IN PRINT MEDIA.
BUT AS SOME CITIES NO LONGER HAVE EVEN A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER, THEY IT BECOMES QUITE FRUSTRATING. SO I'LL BE LOOKING TO LEGISLATORS AND VARIOUS OTHERS TO TO LOOK AT THIS. I'VE BEEN VOCAL ON THIS IN THE PAST WHEN I WAS AT MY FORMER POSITION AS WELL. AND BUT AS THIS HAS CHANGED, THEN WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT. SO I GUESS THE, THE, THE CAVEAT OUT OF THIS IS IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS OF THE GRAND RAPIDS CITY COMMISSION, THOSE WILL BE IN THE SUNDAY PAPER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THANKS. CITY ATTORNEY. I'LL ONE UP YOUR GOVERNMENT MINUTIAE BORING REPORT WITH JUST LIFTING UP THE AUDIT. THE AUDIT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SPENT SOME TIME TODAY TALKING ABOUT, AND IT'S REAL EVIDENCE OF GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY. EXCELLENT FISCAL POLICY, GREAT FISCAL COLLABORATION. AND FOR THE TEAM THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THAT, THEY SHOULD BE REALLY PROUD OF THEMSELVES TO GET THE TYPE OF RESULTS THAT WE DID, DESPITE BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ERP. SO I WANTED TO JUST GIVE SOME CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE TO THAT PROCESS AND THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THAT. THANK COMMISSIONER ROBBINS AGAIN FOR YOUR TRUST AND COLLABORATION AND SUPPORT.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU AND RECOGNIZE THE COMMISSIONERS THAT CAME TO THE EAST TOWN ANNUAL MEETING THIS WEEKEND. IT'S ALWAYS A BLAST TO SEE YOU THERE, AND IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY. CITY MANAGER THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR WORK. I DO WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER ROBBINS FOR HIS PUBLIC SERVICE.
FIRST OF ALL, AS A MEMBER OF OUR US MILITARY, ACTIVE AND RESERVE DUTY AND THE SERVICE THAT HE'S PROVIDED, AND THEN TO CONTINUE PUBLIC SERVICE AS A LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIAL AND NOW TO ASPIRE TO HIGHER OFFICE. HE CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF PUBLIC SERVICE. SO SO WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT HE'S DONE HERE, AND WE'LL STILL LOOK FORWARD TO HIS SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD AND JUST APPRECIATE ALL THAT HE HAS DONE TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE STAFF AS WELL. I ALSO WANT TO, IN THE SPIRIT OF BLACK HISTORY. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, FOR YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TODAY. AND COMMISSIONER SASSY ACKNOWLEDGED THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAILBLAZERS AND ONE OF OUR OWN HERE ON THE DAIS RECEIVED A HUMANITARIAN AWARD, COMMISSIONER PERDUE. BUT
[01:15:03]
AS I FIRST OF ALL, I'M SO PLEASED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION AND PEOPLE STEP UP AND PEOPLE DO THAT IN EVERY DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTING TODAY. PHIL WAS HERE EARLIER AND HE'S OUR FACILITY MANAGER, AND SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE ACTING. YOU HEARD LINDSAY STEP UP AND DID THE CENSUS REPORT. AND SO I'M GRATEFUL THAT JOE TRIGG IS ALSO GOING TO STEP UP. AND LIKE MANY OTHERS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS, LIKE OUR OWN INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY, MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T MISS A BEAT. WE HAVE A VERY, VERY TALENTED BENCH AND A STRONG ORGANIZATION, AND I'M CERTAINLY GRATEFUL AND APPRECIATIVE OF EVERY EMPLOYEE.CHIEF LINDSTROM'S LEADERSHIP. BUT I AM VERY ASSURED THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT PLACE. AND GOING BACK TO BLACK HISTORY, CHIEF PAYNE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN CHIEF OF COLOR TO BE PERMANENTLY NAMED, AND I THINK THIS IS WHILE HE'S NOT THE FIRST CHIEF OF COLOR, HE'S THE FIRST ACTING CHIEF THAT IS A PERSON OF COLOR. AND HE WILL HE WILL DO A GOOD JOB. AND SO CONGRATULATIONS, CHIEF TRIGG, STARTING MARCH 2ND, EVERYBODY KEEPS WANTING HIM TO START. NOW WE MARCH. SECOND IS THE START DATE. I'M ALSO VERY THANKFUL TODAY TO HAVE ACKNOWLEDGE YOU GET THIS COMMISSION SUPPORT ON OUR SISTER CITY. AND THAT HAS BEEN A LONG ROAD AND IT WAS GOOD TO HAVE THEM COME. NO PUN ON LONG ROAD MAYOR. GOOD TO HAVE THEM COME HERE TODAY AND BE PART OF OUR MEETING. AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO RETURNING TO VISIT. AND I ECHO WHAT OUR CITY ATTORNEY HAS SAID ABOUT THE AQUIFER. I MEAN, THAT IS ALWAYS A GOOD NEWS TO GET A REPORT CARD ON THE STEWARDSHIP OF OUR FINANCIALS AND GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTABILITY. AND I DO WANT TO THANK OUR CONTROLLER FOR HIS WORK AND HIS TEAM DEPUTY CONTROLLER, ALSO, ALL THE OTHER STAFF THAT HAS WORKED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AND REQUEST AND RESPONDED TO. IT REALLY IS AN ORGANIZATION WIDE EFFORT. SO THANK YOU FOR FOR THAT WORK AS WELL AS THE THE BRIEFINGS THAT WE HAD TODAY ON BUTTERWORTH AND VICINITY AND OUR MOBILITY CONVERSATIONS, THOSE ARE VERY, VERY HEAVY AND IMPORTANT TOPICS. AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMISSION'S THOUGHTFUL DELIBERATION AND GUIDANCE AND GIVING US DIRECTION ON BOTH OF THEM. SO HAVE A GOOD EVENING. SO THANKS EVERYONE FOR COMING. IT IS A LITTLE I CAN'T ON THE IRONY OF THE FACT THAT WE MOVE FORWARD TO HAVING A SISTER CITY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A BRIDGE THAT'S CURRENTLY UNDER DISCUSSION AND BE BLOCKED. IT'S A LITTLE STRANGE TO BE BLOCKING ACCESS TO CANADA, BUT I. I AM CERTAINLY GLAD THAT WE HAVE A NEW INTERIM CHIEF IN PLACE. AND I WANT TO SAY PUBLICLY TO THIS GROUP WHAT I SAID YESTERDAY TO A NEWS CAMERA, WHICH IS THEY ASKED ME, SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO GO ABOUT GETTING A NEW CHIEF? AND I SAID, WELL, OUR CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO GO DO THE GREAT GO, GO DO AGAIN THE GREAT JOB HE DID BEFORE. SO IT'S I, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER, BECAUSE YOU, YOU CHOSE A CHIEF WHO DID GREAT WORK HERE AND, AND REALLY WAS PART OF MOVING OUR CITY IN THE DIRECTION OF, IN THE DIRECTION OF PROGRESS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I AND I ASSUME WE ALL HAVE THE HIGHEST CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ABILITY TO KEEP THAT WORK GOING.
SO. TO MY COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER ROBINSON, WHO LOOKS A LITTLE TEARY EYED, I'M JUST CALLING IT OUT HERE. YOU KNOW, THERE IS AN I SOMETIMES THINK THAT MAYBE SINCE THE FOUNDING OF THIS COUNTRY. DEMEANING POLITICIANS HAS BEEN SORT OF A FORM OF NATIONAL SPORT. AND IT'S VERY EASY FOR PEOPLE TO SAY POLITICIANS AND MEAN SOMETHING NEGATIVE. AND, YOU KNOW, AS I LOOK AROUND THIS DAIS, EVERYBODY WHO'S UP HERE AND EVERYBODY WHO I HAVE, YOU KNOW, TRUSTED AND KNOWN IN POLITICS HAS BEEN IN IT FOR THE COMMON GOOD. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN IN IT FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OR THE EGOTISM AND THE POLITICIANS I REALLY TREASURE AND RESPECT ARE THE PUBLIC SERVANTS, AND THOSE ARE REALLY THE SAME THING IN MY MIND FOR ME, I, I CONTINUE TO HOPE TO REDEEM THE WORD POLITICIAN BECAUSE THE POLITICIANS ARE THE PEOPLE WE ASK TO DO THE WORK OF ORDERING OUR GOVERNANCE. NOT THAT WE GET TO OPT OUT OF IT BY ELECTING
[01:20:02]
PEOPLE, BUT THE ALTERNATIVE TO ELECTING PEOPLE IS TYRANNY. AND TO AND YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE HEARD SOME SOME SLOPPY COMMENTARY TODAY ON A NEWS RADIO INTERVIEW ABOUT POLITICIANS AND POLITICIANS, YOU KNOW, BEING SELFISH. AND WE DON'T DO THIS WORK BECAUSE WE'RE SELFISH. WE DO THIS WORK BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY. AND AND I KNOW YOU DO, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE, AND I KNOW YOU WILL. AND ONE OF THE ONE OF THE THINGS I SAY ABOUT MY FAVORITE POLITICIANS, AND I OFTEN THINK OF RETIRING SENATOR GARY GARY PETERS IS IT'S TOUGH FOR ME TO FIND HIS EGO. I SEE HIM JUST WANTING TO DO WORK AND GETTING THINGS DONE, AND I DON'T SEE MUCH EVIDENCE THAT HE IS ALL THAT INTERESTED IN THOSE THINGS THAT IT'S SO EASY TO ACCUSE POLITICIANS OF. AND THAT'S BEEN TRUE OF ALL OF MY TIME AND TENURE WITH YOU. I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN YOUR EGO IN THIS WORK, AND I BELIEVE YOU'VE GOT ONE. I THINK WE ALL HAVE THEM. BUT YOU'VE DONE A REALLY, REALLY IMPRESSIVE JOB OF PUTTING THE PUTTING, MAKING MODELING FOR EVERYONE, FOR ALL OF US, FOR ME AND FOR THE COMMUNITY, THAT POLITICS IS A GOOD THING AND AND THAT IT IS A NECESSARY AND IMPORTANT AND A VITAL PART OF HOW WE KEEP OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER. AND AND YOU HAVE SUBSUMED YOUR EGO IN THAT WORK. AND IT'S BEEN IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN EXAMPLE FOR ME. AND AND I, I DON'T JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXAMPLE. I MEAN, PLENTY OF PEOPLE CAN DO WORK, BUT HOW THEY DO THE WORK MATTERS TOO. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BUILD A GARAGE AND GRUMBLE ABOUT IT THE WHOLE TIME, OR YOU CAN BUILD A GARAGE AND LIFT UP THE PEOPLE ON YOUR ON YOUR CREW AND YOUR TEAM AND, AND TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR WORK. AND SO WE ARE ALL PROUD OF YOU. WE ARE ALL GLAD TO HAVE HAD YOU WITH US ON THIS WORK. YOU KEEP SAYING YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE AND I KNOW YOU'RE NOT, AND YOU'RE MUCH YOUNGER MAN THAN I AM. SO STAY SAFE AND STAY ENGAGED AND AND STAY FOCUSED ON THE THE PRINCIPLES THAT YOU'VE THAT YOU'VE APPLIED HERE. SO THERE'S MY THERE'S MY THANKS AND MY BLESSINGS. SO YOU HAVE OUR YOU HAVE OUR BLESSING AS YOU GO FORTH IN THE WORLD AND AND KEEP YOUR INTEGRITY, BROTHER, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR INTEGRITY, YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.